The Promise by Damon Galgut (2021)

The Swarts are an Afrikaans family who have owned and lived on the same large farm near Pretoria for several generations. The book opens just after the death of Rachel Swart, wife of Manie, mother to Anton, Astrid and Amor. Anton is the eldest child, on leave from the army where he recently shot dead a Black woman who was protesting; he connects this act with his mother’s death. He’s dating Desiree, the daughter of an important cabinet minister in theapartheid government, and after the army plans study literature and become a writer. Astrid is the teenage middle child, who struggles with bulimia and has recently discovered sex. Amor is the youngest; as a child she was struck by lightning and nearly died. Rachel was born Jewish and converted to the Dutch Reformed church when she married Manie, though converted back to Judaism during her illness. She wants a Jewish burial, and her other dying wish is that one of the houses on the farm – “the Lombard place” is given to their Black maid Salome, who has worked for the family for many years, and her thirteen-year-old son Lukas. It becomes clear that it won’t happen, though Amor doesn’t understand that this is in part because laws at the time prohibited Black people from owning property.

Manie has recently become a devout Christian, largely under the influence of his minister, the highly corrupt priest Alwyn Simmers. He pays vast sums into the church in exchange for penance for his sins, for the gambling and prostitutes which Simmers promises to absolve him from, though the children, particularly Anton, detest Simmers. There’s a conflict between the Jewish and Christian sides of the family over the burial rites and processes, with Manie desperate for her to be buried in the family cemetery, even trying to bribe the Rabbi to allow it. A big argument breaks out over dinner, Anton and Amor are determined that their mother’s wishes will be honoured, both about her burial and Salome’s house, and it becomes clear that Alwyn is going to arrange for a Christian burial on the farm.

The second funeral takes place nine years later and is for Manie Swart, who has been bitten by a poisonous snake in the reptile park he owns. Anton has been estranged from him since Rachel’s death, and is living with an older woman in Johannesburg. There’s a greater sense of hope in the country and Mandela is president. Anton heads back to Pretoria for the first time in years to see his father in hospital lying in the bed next to a Black man: “Apartheid has fallen, see, we die right next to each other now, in intimate proximity. It’s just the living part we still have to work out”. There is no reconciliation, no apology between the two men before Manie dies. Anton blames Alwyn Simmers, who had encouraged Manie to get into the cage with a cobra to test his faith and raise funds for the church. Further blows come to Anton when it is revealed Alwyn is a beneficiary of the estate, is burying Manie and worst of all – the family lawyer Cherise Coutts informs Anton that unless he apologises for how he spoke to Alwyn nine years ago, he will inherit nothing. The farm is to remain intact; no part of it may be sold off except in the case of financial emergency and then only with the unanimous agreement in writing of the three children. Amor is also largely estranged and living in London and returns for the funeral with thequestion of Salome’s house on her mind. Astrid is married with children but confesses to Amor she does not love her husband Dean and is having an affair with Jake Moody, a Catholic who installed their security system. There is no mention of Salome in the will despite the laws having changed and Black people now being able to own property; by now Anton is more jaded and no longer pushes for it like Amor does. He says Salome can have guaranteed shelter and employment until she’s old, and a pension in retirement, but it doesn’t satisfy Amor.